Of Pumpkin Coffee and French Accents
by Laser Lance 720
Summary: Bill took the desk job at Gringotts to be closer to his family and assist the Order. He expected to fight a war, not find love in the beautiful blonde, with the heavy French accent who worked across from him. Written for the Secret Battle Competition.


**For the Secret Battle Competition. Used 5 of the 5 prompts. Some of them very subtly (just barely mentioned), not really a big part of the story, and easy to miss, but all five are included in here somewhere and somehow. I'm calling that a victory.**

**Note: Any misspellings in Fleur's speech are intentional. She's got that accent that changes the way she pronounces things, and I wanted to make sure that came through. **

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Flirting wasn't something Bill did often. If anything, he avoided it as much as he could. Sadly, despite the charismatic charm, easy going manner, and the sharp cheekbones that could 'bring women to their knees' as Fred liked to put it, he just wasn't one for the dating game. So whenever he spotted her across the Gringotts hall, hair as golden as a halo, and face as sweet as an angel, Bill decided that it may be time to change that up a bit.

There was something about her that was familiar, but he couldn't place his finger on it. He had seen that silvery hair before, those gorgeous deep blue eyes that shined brightly, adding even more beauty to the smile that spread over her pale features. She was tall, willowy, and seemed to have a faint, silver glow that followed her as she went.

Bill didn't know what it was, but he was attracted to her, and not just for her beauty. It was the way she kept herself as she moved, her head held high; almost arrogantly, but never allowing anyone to make herself feel anything less than perfect. Her English was broken, peppered with a French accent that made even the most mispronounced words sound like honey from her tongue. There had to be Veela in her blood, it was the only thing that made sense. There was no way a girl could be this perfect, this beautiful, without her being at least part Veela.

He didn't even know her name, but he knew he wanted to get to know her better.

That was why he made his way towards her late in the afternoon, two coffees in hand, and his hair; for once, brushed into a manageable mess. She didn't notice him at first, her attention trapped solely on the paperwork that rested on the desk before her. The room was empty minus the two, and a scattered few other Gringotts workers who paid no mind to the young pair.

Clearing his throat, Fleur lifted her gaze, and he was relieved whenever she didn't immediately dismiss him. Instead, she gave him the once over, taking in the tall ginger before her. Bill was handsome, there was none who could deny it, but his long hair, which tended to go unbrushed, and the strange fashion sense that his mother always tried to quell sometimes proved to be a turn off for women. He had yet to part with the single fang earing that hung from his left ear; a gift from Charlie after his younger brother's first week as a dragon trainer. The earing complemented the dragon hide boots that he was always found wearing. For today, he had cleaned up; choosing a simple pair of black slacks, and dark form fitting t-shirt, but when compared to the young woman before him, who even in a simple blue dress, he looked as if he had simply grabbed his outfit out of the clean clothes pile.

She watched him, a smirk on her lips, and a scrutinizing gleam in her eyes. Silence hung over them, as the others in the room began to wander out to wherever they need be. Suppressing the urge to flee the scene, Bill stood his ground, raising one of the coffees to draw her gaze towards it. "Um, hey. No lunch plans?"

It was a stupid thing to ask, and as soon as the words left his lips, Bill was sure she would brush him off as yet another poor sod failing to flirt with her. Instead, she placed down the quill in her hands, and folded them together, her chin resting on top her intertwined fingers. She continued to eye him, something dancing behind her eyes.

"I was not 'ungry." Her accent clung to each word she said. "I 'ave much work to do."

"Oh." Bill muttered, wondering if that was a not so subtle way of declining his company. "Well, I'll let you get to work then." He turned to leave, but froze after a moment. "If you're not planning on eating, let me at least give you this." Bill placed the coffee before her, careful not to spill the liquid onto any of the scattered pages. "It's quite good I must say."

With a casual node; doing well to keep the apprehension from showing in his voice, he stepped away from the table, heading back out to the desk where he was working. Before stepping out of the break room, he caught her wrapping delicate fingers around the offered coffee. The woman gave it a sniff, a curious light to her eyes. Smiling ever so slightly, Bill continued out of the room.

The next day rolled by, and Bill was sure he could catch the woman tossing flirty glances under half lidded eyes from her desk across the room. He was glad he left his hair loose that day, as the blush that sat over his face at one point was as deep a red as the hair on his head. He was not one to blush. He was not one to flirt either, but it seemed that where this girl was concerned, all pretenses of what he was and was not was practically thrown out the window.

His lunch break rolled around, a break that started ten minutes before hers. However, by the time he organized the mess of his desk, and made it into the break room, she was making her way to her own break.

"'Ello." Her voice drew his attention onto her. The woman smiled at him, her head held high in the usual proud manner, hands held together behind her back. The green dress she wore hung off her willowy frame, dancing around her knees. "I don't think we 'ave 'ad the chance to properly meet. I am Fleur Delacour."

"Bill." The Weasley responded, extending a hand out towards her. She took it, soft warm hands fitting perfectly with his much larger, much more calloused ones. "Bill Weasley."

"Well," Fleur smiled, a set of pearly white teeth hiding behind her full, pink lips. "I was wondering if you would be as kind az to 'elp me with a small problem."

"Shot."

"Zat coffee you gave me yesterday." Fleur began. "I quite liked zit, and was wondering if you could tell me what zit waz. I 'ave never 'ad something quite like zat before."

"Oh." Bill rubbed the back of his neck, a bit disappointed that she only wished to speak to him concerning the coffee. "That. Ya, sure. It was a pumpkin coffee. Got it at that little coffee shop down the street."

"I see." Fleur said. "Well, I waz wondering if you would be so kind az to show me when you got the chance. I am still trying to find my way around."

"Sure." Bill jumped on the chance. He smiled, resisting the urge to applaud himself. Of course, the fact that she was the one leading the flirting did not cross his mind as he lost himself in her smooth accent. "If you have time now, we could go. Its break and all, and…"

"I would love to." Fleur cut him off.

Bill could only smile at the eagerness that came with her words. Nodding his head, he motioned for Fleur to take the exit leading out back into the main floor of the bank. From there, the two made their way down to the coffee shop in question.

"So." Bill spoke as they stepped from Gringotts. The streets were packed with people, and Fleur slide an arm around his, seeming to want to stay close and not get swept away in the crowd. "I have a feeling you aren't from around here."

"Zat iz correct." Fleur answered. "I come from France. A little town just off Paris."

"What brings you here?"

"To England? Or to Gringotts?"

"Both."

"English." Fleur answered. Bill raised an eyebrow in question, causing her to explain further. "I wish to learn better English. Where better than England, an' Gringotts 'ad part-time job offer. Besides, I quite like zis country. So alive and cozy. Much less 'ustle bustle than France. And you?"

"The adventure." Bill replied. "I was working as a curse breaker up until a few months ago."

"And now you do desk work?"

"I guess so." Bill smiled. "Needed a break from adventure. Wanted to stay close to home for a bit."

They reached the coffee shop, and as he opened the door for her, a harsh wind shoved down the street. The breeze caught Fleur's loose hair, sending it dancing in vivid display around her face. Bill took a moment, remarking at how beautiful, yet fierce she looked, as she pushed down her windblown hair, and stepped into the store. Following close by, Bill directed her towards the short line waiting to be served. The two took their places.

Silence took a place between them, but it was a comfortable silence. The line moved quickly, bringing the two up to the counter moments after they had entered the shop. The young witch behind the counter smiled at them, asking their order.

"I'll take a Pumpkin coffee, extra whipped cream." Bill supplied. He looked towards Fleur, who quickly responded that she would have the same. Digging into his pockets, he handed the payment to the witch behind the counter, who took it with a smile, and ushered them to the side.

"I could 'ave paid for my own drink." Fleur said, a level of independence to her words.

"It's my treat." Bill replied. Moments after, their order was brought up. Taking the drinks, the two made their way to an unoccupied table some distance away. Taking out a seat, they sat opposite one another.

Fleur looked down at the drink, sniffing the sweet steam that rushed from the lid. Carefully, she brought it to her lips, savoring the flavor. "'Ow do they make zis? It iz amazing."

"I think they make it with Pumpkin juice." Bill shrugged, taking a drink from his own cup. "I've never actually asked, but it has that kind of flavor."

"Oh." Fleur responded. "I 'ave 'ad zat. Pumpkin Juice. At 'Ogwarts."

"Hogwarts?" Bill asked.

"Wee." Fleur took another sip. "Last year. Ze Tournament. Zere was much pumpkin juice at ze school."

Bill pondered this a moment, before both her name, and her face popped into his memory. "You said your last name was Delacour?" She nodded. "You were one of the Champions."

"Wee." Fleur nodded. "I saw you, did I no, at ze school? Were you a student 'oo?"

"Oh no." Bill answered. "Graduated a few years ago. I had just stopped by to give Harry my support."

"'Arry?" Fleur was not the one to ask the question. "'Arry Potter?"

"Yes."

"'e saved my sister." Fleur smiled widely. "Ze second task at the Great Lake. I could not get to 'er, and 'e saved 'er. 'e and zat friend o' his. Ze one with the red hair, much like yours."

"That would be my brother, Ron."

"Oh." Fleur muttered, looking a tad bit shocked. "Small world."

"Indeed it is."

The two allowed the silence to sink both over them as they enjoyed the cup of warm coffee in their hands. Around them, the coffee shop was quite, broken only by the laughter of a group of teenagers on the far side, and the mummer coming from an elderly couple sitting near the counter. The clattering of dishes could be heard in the background, along with the high pitched voices of the house elves that worked for the owners of the shop.

The two had found themselves just after the coffee lunch rush, and were enjoying the peace that reigned before much of Diagon Ally would get off work, and swarm the place for a pick-me-up. It was a nice environment, and the two drank their coffee, neither wishing to remember that they had to return to work in just over twenty minutes.

"So." Bill began, hands wrapped around his cup. "You have a family back home? You said something about a sister."

Fleur nodded. "My younger sister Gabrielle. She iz attending Beauxbatons zis year. What of your family?"

"I've got a pretty big family." Bill chuckled. "Five younger brothers, and a little sister."

"Zat iz a big family." Fleur chuckled softly.

"You have no idea." Bill laughed along with her. "It's crazy, sometimes."

"I always wanted many siblings." Fleur spoke, a bit of longing in her voice. "I love Gabrielle, don't get me wrong, I will kill for zat girl, I love her, but she is much younger than me. It iz difficult sometimes, ze age gap."

"I understand." Bill nodded. "My sister, Ginny, is just barely fourteen. And Ron's just hit fifteen. It was weird when we were kids, because by time I started Hogwarts, they were still only three and four."

"The same with me and Gabrielle." Fleur spoke. The smile on her face was genuine, and Bill couldn't help but to smile back at her with a grin that he hoped was less dorky than he feared.

From there, the conversation flowed from one topic to the next, Fleur's broken English and heavy accent never bothering Bill as he listened to her talk of her homeland, and he himself telling her of all the great things she would find in England. Neither of them really wished to leave the coffee shop, and when Bill glanced down at the watch on his wrist, the time still readable under the cracked glass, he wasn't surprised by how quickly time had flown.

They seemed a strange pair walking back to the bank. Fleur in her natural beauty, a silver haired Goddess in a loose dress. And he, Bill Weasley, long scarlet hair trailing onto his shoulders, dragon hide boots clicking louder on the stone pavement than her heels did. Yet, the closer they got the Gringotts, the closer the two drew to one another. By the time they entered back into work, Fleur's arm had been wrapped around his, and he had a feeling that the crowded street had nothing to do with it.

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**This is the first time I've done anything with Bill and Fleur. I don't know why it took so long, I really do enjoy Fleur. She's amazing.**

**I hope I got her accent right. I went through the books, trying to figure out what letters she tended to drop, and I think I may have gotten them all right. I found that she tended to exchange T's and S's for Z's, and sometime dropped her H's. **

**So Bill and Fleur actually did meet at Gringotts the year of 1995; were she was working part time to improve her English, and he had picked up a desk job in order to be closer to his family for when the up and coming war began. She also eyed him whenever he showed up with Molly to support Harry during the Third Task. Just a little bit of background info and research. Cool stuff.**

**That's about it. Going to wrap this up, post it whenever I get internet back up, and continue watching **_**Finding Nemo**_**.**


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